Storing Round Bales Outside

[Bright Raven]

I discussed this with Jeanne and she may not agree. Elwood was just here. He is 74 and the biggest hay supplier in the County. I buy all my hay from him. He recommends putting the round bales end to end with about 6 inches at a minimum between rounds. Jeanne said to push them together end to end and apply pressure with the tractor.

Both Elwood and Jeanne agree, do not let the rows touch. Allow a minimum of a foot says Elwood.

 

[rollinhills]

That would be correct, need room on the sides for water run off and to dry off.

 

[Bright Raven]

That would be correct, need room on the sides for water run off and to dry off.

Thanks. The difference in opinion is whether you push the flat ends up against each other end to end. Or allow a few inches open between rolls.

 

[callmefence]

Jeanne is right. Jam the ends up tight.
As you pull bales out to feed you'll see the ends are as fresh as the day it was put up. Enough room to walk through between the rows.

 

[True Grit Farms]

The quality hay producer's here leave a space between the rolls. I jam mine together tight but see mold at times between the folls.

 

[bigbluegrass]

I would agree with Jeanne. I stack mine tight, end to end in rows. Most years, the ends look fresh when pulled out of the stack - sometimes, with heavy rain, they have mold.

There are many regional difference in how hay is stacked. In the drier part of the Dakotas for example, they stack round bales three high with three wide on the bottom, two in the middle row and one on top. I have seen hay in stacks like that 5 years old that still looked good and the livestock ate fine. This is in an area where the average annual precipitation is 14", most of it coming in the winter as snow. That stack won't work in KY unless you have it under a good tarp or store inside. Ask me how I know, I tried it ONCE! The hay stack got hot and molded.

 

[ValleyView]

Orientation of the rows (North/South vs West/East) etc, also comes into play.

According to one study (OK State) which I'll try to find showed uncovered and stored hay in a North/South row molded less than hay stored in rows West/East.

Thought being, bales were exposed to more even sunlight throughout the day. This is how I store my hay.

 

[bball]

I discussed this with Jeanne and she may not agree. Elwood was just here. He is 74 and the biggest hay supplier in the County. I buy all my hay from him. He recommends putting the round bales end to end with about 6 inches at a minimum between rounds. Jeanne said to push them together end to end and apply pressure with the tractor.

Both Elwood and Jeanne agree, do not let the rows touch. Allow a minimum of a foot says Elwood.

Elwoods correct. Leave a few inches between. I get less spoilage with that instead of butting them up tight. Always get moisture built up and no way to dry out.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

When I have excess hay and need to store it outside I put bales in single rows pushed as tight together as my tractor will push. When I feed those bales the hay is fresh as can be in between, if I leave a gap then they weather and mold.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I'm on the other side of the fence. I jam em up tight with about 5 foot between rows. And I try to stack with the rows running east/west. My thoughts were that our predominantly west winds would help with air flow. But north/south may be better. I've never tried it.

With all that said, I really wish I had a hay barn. I hate wasting what is my single biggest yearly expense.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I'm on the other side of the fence. I jam em up tight with about 5 foot between rows. And I try to stack with the rows running east/west. My thoughts were that our predominantly west winds would help with air flow. But north/south may be better. I've never tried it.

With all that said, I really wish I had a hay barn. I hate wasting what is my single biggest yearly expense.

I am thinking shrink wrap is the way to go.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I'm on the other side of the fence. I jam em up tight with about 5 foot between rows. And I try to stack with the rows running east/west. My thoughts were that our predominantly west winds would help with air flow. But north/south may be better. I've never tried it.

With all that said, I really wish I had a hay barn. I hate wasting what is my single biggest yearly expense.

I am thinking shrink wrap is the way to go.

Could be. But it's gonna take a minute!

 

[Caustic Burno]

I'm on the other side of the fence. I jam em up tight with about 5 foot between rows. And I try to stack with the rows running east/west. My thoughts were that our predominantly west winds would help with air flow. But north/south may be better. I've never tried it.

With all that said, I really wish I had a hay barn. I hate wasting what is my single biggest yearly expense.

I am thinking shrink wrap is the way to go.

Could be. But it's gonna take a minute!

They have balers now that use shrink wrap.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wGHmu1nDGPU

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Plastic wrapping dry hay (especially individually) can get pricey. It can be a good way to keep hay dry but if your plan is a long term solution a barn will be way more cost effective.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Plastic wrapping dry hay (especially individually) can get pricey. It can be a good way to keep hay dry but if your plan is a long term solution a barn will be way more cost effective.

As tax crazy as they are going here I don't that the barn is the best way.
If you pour a slab the counties eyes light up.

 

[jltrent]

Outside I push ends together and a couple feet between the round side of the rows.

 

[kentuckyguy]

Last year we had more hay than would fit in the barn.

I sit it up on 2 sycamore logs pushed together. Each roll was pushed up end to end as tight as I could get it. I fed most of that hay in December, and other than the outer 6" the bales looked freshly baled.

I had some other rolls that were baled a little wet I left a gap in. They pretty much were ruined from all the rain we had.

 

[ValleyView]

Orientation of the rows (North/South vs West/East) etc, also comes into play.

According to one study (OK State) which I'll try to find showed uncovered and stored hay in a North/South row molded less than hay stored in rows West/East.

Thought being, bales were exposed to more even sunlight throughout the day. This is how I store my hay.

Here's the link to the article:

http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-1772/BAE-1716web.pdf

 

[Caustic Burno]

Last year we had more hay than would fit in the barn.

I sit it up on 2 sycamore logs pushed together. Each roll was pushed up end to end as tight as I could get it. I fed most of that hay in December, and other than the outer 6" the bales looked freshly baled.

I had some other rolls that were baled a little wet I left a gap in. They pretty much were ruined from all the rain we had.

I don't understand why we normally get 60" a year and got like 90" last year.
I didn't see any difference from previous years. Only thing I could figure Bahia versus whatever grows in your neck of the woods,
My hay is net wrapped.

 

[kentuckyguy]

CB mine was was just baled with sisal twine. We had so much rain that even the high spots stayed really wet.

The bales I got off the ground and shoved together did much better. The hay still even had good color on the insides of the bales.